“I’m not where I want to be, but Praise God, I’m not where I used to be.” Joyce Meyer
Sometimes we pick up “Lots” in life (last post) and sometimes we pick up treasures.
This quote has been a treasure to me.
When I get down on myself….
(really, that’s what it is, we give the devil credit, but most of the time, he throws an inch of condemnation at us that we take the whole mile)
I’m often led back to this line of thinking.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
Brick by brick. Line by line. Precept upon precept.
I don’t think God said brick by brick, but I know He said precept upon precept.
I’m paying more attention, as I hang with Wisdom, to enjoy this Journey.
As hard as it is to wrap our minds around it, the fact that God is ALREADY pleased with us, it’s still true.
He looks at us through the blood of Jesus and what He accomplished.
Jesus truly made a way for us.
And as I often say, He didn’t just make the way to heaven. That’s awesome, but the same Grace that saves us from hell, is the same Grace that saves our finances, or our eating habits, our marriages and our kids.
When Jesus spoke of Grace, my favorite example is where He talks about going the extra mile;
| 8 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. | |||
| 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. | |||
| 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven. | |||
| 21 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: | |||
| 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire. | |||
| 23 Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee; | |||
| 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. | |||
| 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. | |||
| 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing. | |||
| 27 ¶ Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: | |||
| 28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. | And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with him twain. Matthew 5:41 |
To some, Grace has become the easy way out in life.
A cop out to do nothing.
That’s not what Grace is at all. The Law only went so far, and no one could do all that it required without Grace.
Grace however, not only fulfilled the law, but takes us a step further. It infiltrates our heart. So, now, it’s not a “how far can I get to the line and not cross it”-
it’s a “Grace takes me further”.
If I may share with you, for those of you that don’t know my new found love for running,
Grace looks like this:
Every Lap belongs to God’s breath in me. He gets all the Glory because every good and perfect thing comes from Him, but as He coached me, He would say, you give me a lap and I’ll take you another.
Laps became miles. Miles became monuments.
What used to be my maximum monument has now become my minimal movements.
That’s How Grace works. It’s you and Jesus.
Jesus Paid so You could do it.
“It” is whatever it is that is in your heart to do-
that the enemy has whispered, “you can’t.”
Last time I checked, the Word says that we CAN do all things through Christ who gives us the strength.
So you go… girl, or boy, not just one mile, but two.
His Grace is sufficient.
ThankFully Restored 